HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2007
Happy Holidays everyone!
I have just returned to Augusta after a whirlwind tour of the Americas. First, I attended the Stansberry Alliance Conference in Mexico, followed by the Value Investing Congress in NYC... in fact, it's been impossible to sleep with all of the excitement. As a consequence, I have run myself nearly into the ground. It reminded me of several things I try to do to stay healthy... and a few I try to avoid.
Every year I write a similar piece after Thanksgiving, just as winter is taking hold across the country. I hope that by sharing a few of the things I do, you may able to stave of the flu or, at the very least, remain calm, peaceful, and happy through this often stressful and even depressing season. Many of the things I do are simple, while some take energy and time... but I can guarantee you they will pay you back with more energy and even more quality time.
This year, paste this list on your refrigerator or tape it to your desk to remind you over the next month. Perhaps a few of you might incorporate it into your New Year's resolution.
A quick reminder: You already know about several of the 12 things, and the others... I'll share with you more details about them in 2008. The list is in order of what I think is most important for your health. I am often asked what I think are the most important things people can do for their health... well, here they are:
| • | SLEEP. I try to get at least eight hours of sleep nightly. This is hard to do when traveling and during the holiday party season. I try to avoid being the last to leave a party (although my extroverted nature fights this). And I especially avoid staying up late while scheduling meetings early in the morning. When I'm tired and rundown, my immune system doesn't work as well, and plenty of good evidence links heart disease with poor sleep habits. Also, avoid turning the TV on when you sleep (more on this in 2008). |
| • | MOVEMENT. Last year, I wrote "stretch" for No. 2, but what I really think is important is simply moving in a formal way. Call it "exercise" if you'd like, but I think it is so critical to move for 30 minutes daily (1/2 of a TV show). I lie down on the floor and stretch several times a week. On other days, I run or walk. This may be the most important thing I do... In fact, there are incredible benefits to doing more. As you may know, I also love yoga whenever I am traveling. |
| • | SUN. I make sure to get sun on my body all year long, but especially during the winter. More studies came out in 2007 confirming the benefits of the sun. It turns out that sunlight lowers the risks of several cancers. The Vitamin D produced by the body from sunlight may be critical in preventing diseases such as multiple sclerosis and depression. |
| • | MASSAGE. I try to regularly (at least every three weeks) get a full-body massage (usually for 60-90 minutes and usually with hot stones). Doing this is a simple way to ensure that toxins are cleared from my body. Plus, if you find the right person, the energy flow and "recharging" can truly alter your life for a day or two. |
| • | FRUIT. I eat fruit whenever I can (berries are especially good for you). The micronutrients within fruits are so poorly appreciated, researched, and understood. Last year, I had this at No. 8, but have moved it up because I am more and more convinced of the benefits of fruit. And the older I get, the more important fruit seems to be for good bowel habits. |
| • | ASPIRIN. I take one 325 mg tablet every week. The simple but miraculous effects last about 7-10 days. This drug is perhaps the most powerful drug known to mankind... so powerful that the FDA would NOT approve it today. |
| • | MEDITATION. I am currently trying to meditate at least three times a week, usually in the morning. Taking time to create peacefulness and mindfulness within yourself is a wonderful way to finding happiness and answers to your questions about life. As I get older, it becomes clearer that meditation provides these benefits and more. For some people, religious services and time spent in prayer provide an equivalent physiologic and spiritual response. In fact, for physical health, this is probably better than aerobic exercise. |
| • | ESSENTIAL OILS. Smells can be uplifting and stimulating to the soul, body, and mind. Did you know that Cleopatra loved the smell of roses so much that she had around 15 inches of rose petals covering the floor of her bedroom? (For more stories about smell read the book, A Natural History of the Senses.)... I regularly place a few drops or sprays of my favorite scents around the house, e.g., lavender in the bedroom on the inside of pillow cases, orange on the side of the air cleaner, pine on the bathroom rug, bergamot or patchouli on the papers in the trash can in my study, etc... Aromatherapy is a luxury to be afforded – this is one of my favorites! It has moved up from last year, and I suspect it will go higher next. |
| • | DON'T SHARE UTENSILS. I avoid sharing or tasting from other people's drinks and food (this and Vitamin C will practically guarantee you never get a cold again). I recently violated this rule on a weekend with a bunch of friends and, like magic, I had every cough, cold, sore throat, and GI distress possible. Anecdotal, sure, but in the past around holidays when I didn't do it (and I come from a family of "here try my pumpkin soup with baby kale" and everybody dips) others got sick and I did not. So... you've been warned. |
| • | ANTIBIOTICS. I take an antibiotic once a year whether I am sick or not. Erythromycin is my choice this year. I believe this will help me avoid and delay the onset of many inflammatory diseases caused by infections. It seems to me that many simple pathogens persist over decades of exposure to our bodies. Moreover, I suspect that many chronic diseases, such as arthritis or even heart disease, will be linked to an infectious process. |
| • | WINE. I drink one or two 5-ounce glasses of wine each weekend day. Occasionally I'll have a small 4-ounce pour if it's early on a weeknight. |
| • | VITAMINS. I take: |
| ° 1,000 mg-3,000 mg of VITAMIN C every day (timed-release to avoid urinating too much out). | |
| ° 200-400 IU of VITAMIN E two to three times per week. I make sure to take the all-natural 8-isomer form. (GNC and others now carry this.) | |
| ° SELENIUM (100 mcg) and ZINC (50 mg) twice a week. | |
| ° One MULTIVITAMIN about every three to four days (you don't need more than this). |
These 12 things are so simple that they don't seem very important. But... I look for simple, cheap, and safe things to improve the long-term quality of my life. You can too!
In 2008, I will work hard to help you achieve your goals.
Here's to your health, wealth, and a long life of quality.
Happy Holidays,
Dr. David Eifrig Jr.
P.S. A special thanks to those at S&A who give me the encouragement and opportunity to share with you my thoughts.